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Relativity announces presale lineup

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Relativity Media unveiled Thursday its Festival de Cannes presale lineup, which includes a Tom Clancy franchise with Michael Ovitz as producer and a Scarlett Johansson period epic.

The Los Angeles-based company has acquired the rights to produce Clancy's best-selling novel "Without Remorse" and is eyeing a start date early next year. The project, which marks the Hollywood return of Ovitz, most recently was set up at Paramount Pictures, with John Singleton attached to direct. Relativity is out to directors on the current incarnation.

Penned by Stuart Beattie ("Collateral"), "Remorse" centers on former Navy SEAL and CIA operative John Kelly, code-named Mr. Clark, who first appeared in 1994's "Clear and Present Danger" (played by Willem Dafoe). Liev Schreiber also played the character in 2002's "The Sum of All Fears." "Remorse," which was published by Putnam in 1993, spawned a previous film version at Savoy Pictures, but it was shut down during preproduction in 1995.

Magnetik Media is handling foreign sales for the film at the festival.

Relativity also secured the rights to two follow-up novels, including "Rainbow Six." "We believe it will be the strongest franchise to ever hit the indie marketplace," Relativity topper Ryan Kavanaugh said.

The company also said it will produce "Mary Queen of Scots," which stars Johansson as the titular character. John Curran ("The Painted Veil") will direct from a Jimmy McGovern screenplay.

The story follows the imperiled Scottish queen who battles political enemies, scheming allies and affairs of the heart in her quest to unite the warring clans of her country.

Kavanaugh, Alexandra Milchan and Melanie Johansson are producing.

Capitol Films is handling foreign sales for the $30 million-budgeted project at the festival.

Up next from Relativity, which is aiming to finance 10 to 15 independent films per year in addition to co-financing partial studio slates, is "3:10 to Yuma," starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale; the Jason Statham vehicle "The Bank Job"; and "Forbidden Kingdom," which teams Jackie Chan and Jet Li.